Period of occurrence of Sheath rot disease: The disease is important during the heading towards the maturity stages of the rice crop. It usually attacks the uppermost leaf sheath that encloses the panicles and causes rotting of the panicles.

1. Appearance of one or more relatively large, oblong or irregularly elongated lesions on the leaf sheath; in advanced stages center of the lesion becomes bleached with an irregular purple brown border.

2. Initially these lesions are white in colour later it turns to dark brown.

1. Cultural practices to control Rice Blast include the destruction of diseased crop residue, careful use of nitrogen fertilizer (high levels increase the likelihood of disease), the use of water seeding rather than drill seeding and ensuring that plants remain flooded all seem to help control the disease. Planting of resistant varieties of rice may also be helpful.